


The Dog Days are Over

by blakefancier



Series: A Perfect World [7]
Category: Captain America (2011)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-09-24
Updated: 2011-09-24
Packaged: 2017-10-24 00:03:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,610
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/256582
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blakefancier/pseuds/blakefancier
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Naked dining and a diabolical plan.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Dog Days are Over

Howard makes Steve go out and get them take-away for lunch. When Steve gets back, they eat the Chinese food from the cartons. In bed. Naked. Well, Howard is naked, Steve keeps his pants on like the spoilsport that he is.

"How's the job search been going?" he asks, waving his fork.

"Slowly." Steve reaches over and brushes Howard's mustache. "Rice."

"Well, that's concise." Fine, Steve doesn't want to talk about it. He grins and nudges Steve's knee with his foot. "So, how did it feel going back to the old neighborhood?"

Steve stares into his carton. "I haven't."

"What do you mean, you haven't? You've been back a few weeks already! It's all you could talk about during the war."

Steve shrugs and shovels food into his mouth.

"That's really not an answer. C'mon, what gives?" He reaches over and takes Steve's fork and carton.

Steve swallows the food in his mouth and stares down at his hands. "How do I explain this?"

This? He doesn't know what Steve is talking about. "You mean us?"

"N—Well, yeah, but no. "

Howard blinks rapidly. "You're going to have to translate for me, Steve, because I think you're speaking in riddles."

"This! Me!" He gestures to himself. "This new body! How do I explain how I look?"

"I… Tell them the Army made a man out of you?" In all honesty, Howard never really thought about it.

"The people in my neighborhood aren't stupid."

"No, they're not. But they're more likely to believe it was military training and vitamins then they'll believe it was a secret governmental experiment." He hands Steve a carton of rice. "Don't you want to see your friends?"

Steve shrugs. "Didn't have a lot of them. Most of the time it was just me and Bucky. Now that he's gone, I don't know that there's anything left for me to go back to. Besides, how would I explain that I'm living with a millionaire in Manhattan without making you sound… funny."

"That's me, I'm hilarious." He quirks his lips.

"You know what I mean." Steve reaches over and puts a hand on Howard's knee.

"Yeah, I do." Howard gives a small laugh. "I suppose you could just blurt out the truth like I did with my dad."

"What?"

Howard sighs. "My dad knows you're living with me."

"It was bound to happen sooner or later. It's not going to be a problem is it?" Steve curls a hand around the back of Howard's neck and draws him forward for a kiss.

"He's been giving me dirty looks, but he won't say anything. I'm the face of Stark Industries and the military loves me. Well, they love my weapons. Information like that could ruin everything and Dad does like being rich." He licks Steve's lower lip.

"It is better than the alternative."

"So I've heard." He laughs again, softly. "He said that we wouldn't last because I didn't have anything to offer you besides money."

"And did you tell him that's a bunch of baloney? Did you tell him that you're sexy and brilliant and that you make me laugh? That you're loyal and determined? That when everyone else gave up on me, you kept looking." Steve kisses him again. "Did you tell him that you saved my life?"

"No," he says, his voice hoarse.

"Well, now you know what to say the next time he tries that line." Steve smiles.

"Yeah, I guess I do. "

*****

At exactly ten-thirty sharp, he and Steve stand in front of Mrs. Chanler's door. Steve practically manhandled him out of the townhouse so that they would be on time.

"Are you sure about this, Howard?" Steve asks, clutching the flowers in his hand.

"Yes, I am. You look very dashing in your dress uniform. Just don't fidget. Come on, she'll love it." He runs an appreciative hand down Steve's arm. He grins. "I love it."

Steve blushes and gives Howard a dirty look before knocking on the door. A few moments later the butler answers.

Howard can see Steve's hand twitch, as if he wants to offer a handshake. "Steve Rogers and Howard Stark for Mrs. Chanler."

"Of course, gentlemen, please come in." The butler ushers them in. "Please follow me. Mrs. Chanler is in the sun room."

Steve frowns and mouths, 'sun room?' Howard shrugs.

When they enter the room, Mrs. Chanler, a stern looking woman with iron-grey hair, is sitting at a small table. She gets to her feet and beams. "Steven, it's so nice of you to make it."

Steve, of course, blushes, which seems to charm her even more. He walks over to her and offers her the flowers. "We wouldn’t have missed it for the world, ma'am."

"Oh, how beautiful, thank you." Finally, she deigns to notice Howard; a look of distaste flits across her face. "Hello, Howard."

He smiles blandly. "Mrs. Chanler, it's nice to see you again."

"Hmm. Please, sit down." She settles in her chair.

Steve looks around the room, and it's obvious he's trying to find something to say. "You have a lovely home, Mrs. Chanler."

She brightens at that. "Thank you, dear. It's been in the family for generations."

It was the right thing to say, because she goes off on a comprehensive history of the house and her family. Steve is extremely attentive, if a bit awkward.

It's not so bad. Howard keeps his mouth shut for most of the brunch, which suits Mrs. Chanler just fine, if not Steve. It's obvious that she's smitten with Steve, and Howard finds he can't fault her. He's quite smitten himself. It's all going so well.

"Have you managed to find a job, dear," she asks as they sip their coffee.

"No, ma'am, not yet." Steve wipes his mouth with his napkin. "But to be honest, I've just been trying to get my bearings."

"Really, Howard, I'm surprised you haven't offered this bright young man a position in your company."

"Oh, I have. But Steve refuses to take it. He wants to make his own way in the world." He gives Steve a fond smile.

"Really, dear, you should take him up on his offer. How will you ever meet a nice girl if you don't have a job?"

"Yes, Steve, don't you want to find yourself a nice girl?" Howard does his best not to smirk.

"Well, I… I just…" Steve flushes and stammers so much that Mrs. Chanler reaches over and pats his hand.

"A wife and a few children will help you settle back into civilian life, dear."

Steve stills and a look crosses his face, almost like the first time he used his shield and accidently gave himself a bloody nose. He glances at Howard "Ch-Children? Well, I… I… I don't know that we, I mean, that I… I don't know that *I* want children."

Mrs. Chanler looks from Steve to Howard and back again. "Ah."

Howard does his best to keep his face as non-committal as possible, though he'd really like to bang his head on the table.

"I see." She glances over at Steve, who is bright red and looks absolutely mortified. "Are you all right, dear? Do you need a moment alone?"

"Please, ma'am," he says softly.

"The washroom is right down the hall." She makes a vague gesture.

Steve practically runs out of the room, leaving Howard with her. "Lovely weather we're having."

She gives him a shrewd look. "He has no subtlety."

He clasps his hands in his lap and takes a deep breath. "It's not in his nature."

She gives an indelicate snort. "That's going to be a problem."

"Not your problem," he says, a little sharply.

"Be nice, Howard. Your reputation isn't going to shield either of you from gossip. Roommate? How very middle class of you, Howard. More coffee?" When he shakes his head, she sighs. "You don't have the connections to make this work for you. But I do."

"Why would you help me?"

"I wouldn't be helping you. I'd be helping Steve. He's a nice young man and I like him. I can ease him into polite society in ways that you can't. I can make his presence… acceptable."

"Because you like Steve?" He doesn't believe it for a second.

"Yes." She smiles viciously. "And it would upset your father."

Howard gives a surprised laugh. Of course, oh, she's brilliant. She's always hated his father, resented him even, for marrying his mother. Mrs. Chanler saw him as a upstart, new money trying to marry his way into polite society when he couldn't buy his way in. By taking Steve under her wing, by taking Howard's male lover under her wing, she would be sending a very cruel message to his father.

He has to admit, the very idea of it makes him giddy. "How?"

"I'm having a dinner party in a few weeks, Steve will be my guest of honor. I'll introduce him to the right people, encourage them to invite him to their parties. Don’t worry, Howard, I know what I'm doing."

"I don't want him hurt by any of your games."

"No games, Howard. That would be a poor way of repaying your young man for his kindness." She smiles brightly as Steve reenters the room. "Hello, Steven. Are you feeling better?"

"Yes, ma'am, thank you." Steve sits down at the table.

"Mrs. Chanler invited us to a dinner party she's throwing in a few weeks." Howard gently places a hand on Steve's knee. It feels a bit like he's making a deal with the Devil, but if it means having Steve at his side, he'll take it.


End file.
